Interval timer



Oct. 27, 1953 J. J. WEBBER 2,656,672

INTERVAL TIMER Filed Dec. 17, 1947 Jyhn J k lbber HTTOBNEY Patented Oct. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERVAL TIMER John J. Webber, Newark, Ohio Application December 17, 1947, Serial No. 792,176

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in time interval indicating mechanism and more particularly to a portable timing device having indicia thereon corresponding to the cycle of operation of the mechanism to be timed.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a novel time interval reminding device which may be readily set to denote any portion of the cycle of operation of the machine being timed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a timing device which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture. I

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an improved timer which is small size and light in weight and may be readily carried about remotely from the machine operation being timed to visibly and audibly warn the op erator of the status of the machine operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a timer having indicia thereon corresponding to the cycle of operation of a standard automatic home laundering machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which: a I

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the preferred form of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the device with parts shown in section;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view of the alarm mechanism taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is asimilar view of the mechanism illustrating an advanced position.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the invention comprises a timer 5 of sub stantially conventional design including a casing 6 containing the usual clock mechanism I. hell 8 for audibly denoting the termination of a predetermined time interval is supported on the rearward face of the casing 6. The present timer is preferably arranged to operate on a thirty minute cycle but this is not a limiting factor of the invention since timed cycles of an hour or longer may well be within the scope of the invention.

The present invention as described herein is adapted particularly for use in conjunction with automatic home laundering machines. Each commercially known automatic washer is arranged to follow a predetermined cycle which includes at regulated intervals the steps of soaking, washing, rinsing and drying. It is oftentimes desirable to interrupt the operating cycle for special reasons, such as the introduction of a bleaching solution or the removal or addition of pieces being washed. This can only be accomplished by the constant attendance of the op erator at the machine and by personal observances of the machine operation. This prevents the pursuance of other duties and consumes time which might well be spent otherwise to'better advantage.

The portable nature of the present invention permits its removal remote from the machine and advises the operator by means of the audible signal when it is time to return. Upon completion of the particular duty the timer may be reset as the machine is again started and carried by the operator as he returns to other work.

The structure comprising the time 5 includes on the face thereof a dial [0 bearing indicia denoting such periods of the cycle as washing, rinsing and drying, etc. Each portion of the cycle may be timed separately by rotating the dial in by means of a finger tab ll provided thereon to bring the zero point of the desired period to the signalling position indicated at l2. The dial is rotatably mounted on a collar I3 pressed into a hole 13a formed axially of the face of the timer casing 6.

The dial represented herewith is lettered to indicate the cycle of one well known home launderin-g machine now commercially available. The cycle includes a 4 to 8 minute soaking operation after which it is necessary to return to the machine to start the washing cycle. The wash period I5 may be set for an operation of from 4 to 12 minutes after which the machine automatically begins three rinsing periods indicated at I6. Following the rinsing periods is a drying period I'I.

Operation of the timer clock mechanism 1 is accomplished by means of a knob 28 provided with a pointer 2| normally pointing toward the off position l2. The knob is mounted on an arbor 22 conventionally connected to the drive spring structure of the clock mechanism 1.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate respectively the set andofl? positions of the audible signal mechanism. While the structure illustrated herein is substantially conventional with the timer mechcomplished by means of a bellcrank also pivoted on the plate 21 and having an arm 3! which bears against the shank of the striker under the influence of a tension spring 32. The spring 32 is connected at one end to the plate 21 and has its other end connected to an arm 34 which forms an extension of the crank 30.

Movement of the crank 30 is controlled through an arm 35 forming a part of the crank 30 and carrying at its outer end an inwardly projecting pin 36 urged by the spring 32 into frictional contact with the edges of a pair of concentrically mounted disks 38 and 39 carried by the arbor 22. The outer disk 33 is preferably riveted to the end of the arbor 22 and moves therewith in response to movement of the knob 29 as the timer is set. The disk is provided with a V-shaped notch 49 adapted to receive the pin 36 carried by the arm 35 of the crank 30 when the striking mechanism is in released position as illustrated in Figure 4. The left hand edge 42 of the notch 49 (when viewed as in Figures 3 and 4) provides a cam surface for swinging the bell crank 39 to cocked position (Figure 3) when the timer is set for operation. The onposite edge of the notch extends radially outward and terminates beyond the periphery of the disk in a projection 43 which forms a stop for the pointer as it reaches the off or signalling position. This stop represents an improvement in the usual structure since it eliminates the need for the stop pin commonly present on the dial surface of the conventional timer and which in the present invention would interfere with the operation of the movable dial.

The inner disk 39 is mounted coaxially with the disk 38 and rotatable relatively therewith throughout an arc embracing substantially the width of the notch 40. The movement of the disk 39 is controlled by means of a pin 45 carried thereby and projecting into an arcuate slot 46 formed in the disk 38. The disk 39 is provided with a notch 4'! registering substantially with the notch 49 to provide for the rapid release of the pin 36 at the end of the timed interval. The disk 39 is preferably of slightly greater diameter than the disk 38 so that as the timer is set by rotation of the knob 20 and arbor 22 the cam surface 42 moves the pin 36 outwardly until it rides on the edge of the disk 39.

When the pointer is set to the desired interval and the timer placed in operation, the clock mechanism moves the disk 38 in the direction of the Figure 4 position. This movement causes a slight delay in the rotation of the disk 39 which movement begins when the opposite end of the slot 46 engages the pin 45. From thence to the end of the timed interval the disks move in unison. This relative relation of the notches 4D and 4! during operation provides a slot approximating the breadth of the pin 36 and forms a relatively abrupt edge to effect the sudden release of the crank 20 to cause operation of the striker 25 under influence of the spring 32. This structure and mode of operation is substantially conventional in timers of the type in which the present invention forms an improvement.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An interval timer comprising a housing, signal means mounted on said housing, a springdriven clock-work mechanism and a shaft rotatably driven thereby, means on said shaft for operating said signal means at the end of rotation of said shaft in one direction so as to signal the end of a timing cycle, a pointer fixed to said shaft and having a portion that can be grasped by hand to manipulate the pointer to rotate the shaft in the other direction to wind the spring of the clock-work mechanism, a dial provided with indicia and mounted on said housing for rotation thereon and provided with a handle by which it may be manipulated, and an indicator on said housing cooperating with said dial and located to mark the position of the pointer at the end of rotation of said shaft in said one direction whereby said dial may be set to indicate any point in a cycle and the indicator set according to said dial to measure off a remaining portion of said cycle.

2. An interval timer comprising a housing, a bell forming part of said housing, a striker associated with said bell, a spring-driven clock-work mechanism and a shaft rotatably driven in one direction thereby, means on said shaft for operating said striker at the end of rotation of said shaft in one direction so as to signal the end of a timing cycle, a pointer fixed to said shaft and having a portion that can be grasped by hand to manipulate the pointer to rotate the shaft in the other direction to wind the spring of the clock-work mechanism, a dial provided with indicia and mounted on said housing for rotation thereon and provided with a handle by which it may be manipulated, a stop means on said housing cooperating with said shaft to stop the spring-driven rotation of said shaft and thereby mark the end of a timing cycle, and an indicator on said housing cooperating with said dial and located to mark the position of the pointer at the end of the spring-driven rotation of said shaft and the end of a timing cycle, whereby said dial may be set to indicate any point in a cycle and the indicator set according to said dial to measure off a remaining portion of said cycle.

JOHN J. WEBBER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,226,810 Redfield et a1. May 22, 1917 1,784,031 Spengeman Dec. 9, 1930 1,919,255 Porter July 25, 1933 2,193,972 Lavenburg Mar. 19, 1940 2,274,635 Rhodes Mar. 3, 1942 2,282,209 Pepper et al. May 5, 1942 2,367,016 Gallagher Jan. 9, 1945 2,431,849 Van Valkenburgh Dec. 2, 1947 2,462,839 Brown Mar. 1, 1949 

